Ferals Ones- Chap 1: Nova's Story

Chapter 1: Nova's Story

My lungs felt like they were going to explode, all I could think about was running. I could see the Great Doors gradually getting larger as I got closer but I could also see the large figures of the watchers guarding them, their red eyes flashing in the dim light of the Dome. I didn't dare look behind me to see how close they where. Terrified people scrambled away from me, desperately trying to escape the Watchers path of pursuit.  As I neared the doors the two guards ran towards me, their robotic limbs barely making a sound, they had been well oiled. As they closed in on me I ducked and continued towards the doors. I finally reached them and began desperately clawing them open, my nails quickly became ripped and bloody but I managed to slowly prise them apart. The guards had recovered and started towards me. The gap between the doors was still to small but I gave it a final heave and slid through. They closed with a loud thud that echoed loudly in the tunnels, plunging me into darkness .I turned around and collapsed against the door breathing hard and rugged breaths.

Further down the tunnel came the bark of orders and screams of pain, I saw flashes of light. I was scared, I had just lost everything and I didn't want to go any further into the tunnel where those noises where coming from. I was still out of breath so I began to focus on my breathing. A sudden clang came from the door behind me and spun around and scrambled back. A thin shaft of light erupted from the doors, they're still coming I thought. Fear began to rise in my chest. The red eyes of the Watchers appeared in front of me. I screamed and rolled around to start running again. Beams of red light streaked past me but I was small and able to dodge them, some missing me by impossible narrow margins. I glanced back- they where only about 10 meters away. I turned back only to trip on a large rock. I rolled across the ground and skidded to a halt on my (now grazed and bleeding) elbows, facing the Watchers. The closest Watcher walked towards me in its usual, menacing way and levelled its hand towards my chest. I was panting hard and I felt as if my legs had turned to jelly. I closed my eyes as it prepared to shoot.

"HEY!" A voice called from behind me I opened my eyes and the Watcher was looking up. I tuned and saw a dark haired boy with clenched fists and pale skin standing tall and confident but I could tell by his face he was scared. He looked about 11 or 12. The Watcher garbled something to the one standing behind it and then it raised his arm to the boy. I kicked out and hit it in the shin, it jerked and it fired at the wall beside the boy. My dad had taught me about the Watchers so I knew where its weak spots where so I lashed out and hit it in the joint at the back of it's leg it collapsed in a heap beside me but the second Watcher was about to fire and I was too far away to anything. I watched hopelessly while its hand began to glow as the laser was created I held my breath and hoped it missed except that was very unlikely. I took one last glance at the boy, knowing he was probably the last thing I would ever see but he had something clenched tightly in his hand and as he threw it I realised it was a stone. It sailed through the air and hit the Watchers hand with such force the metal around it crumpled. It stepped back clearly stunned. "RUN!" The boy screamed. I tried, but as soon as I put weight on my leg I knew I wouldn't be able to run far. I went as fast as I could, limping towards the boy. Luckily he saw my struggle and rushed forward to help.

I didn't know where we where going and I didn't know what was going to happen, all I knew was that I trusted him.

I woke up gasping. Recently the ghosts of my past had been haunting me in my dreams, reminding me of the massive weight I had been baring for four long years. I promised my dad I would come back for him and I will, the veils are nearly finished and I can test them the next time the carts come past. I let out a long sigh and clipped my on tool belt, careful not to disturb the others still sleeping around me.